Forget about asteroids; the coming drought will do us in!

[HFWR]

As I was gazing over the vast expanse of the mighty Pacific Ocean last weekend, I noted the irony of our water problems here in California.

Desalination is expensive, but it might be worth it to save our rivers/aquifers.

 

[Ronstar]

Just back from a southwest trip. Here's a photo of the Glen Canyon dam on the Colorado River in Page, Az. The white area on the canyon sides used to be under water. The tour guide explained that the water is down about 109' from it's highest point. But it's not as low as in 2005. They expect the water to rise soon as the spring thaw in the mountains continues. But with rocky Mountain snowfall at 74% of normal, I can't see that the level will rise much.

 

[NW-Bound]

I just came back into the home from doing work outside. Earlier in the week, the weather forecast promised 84F for the weekend, now they say it's going to be 89F.

Up in my high-country home, we had little snow this year. It's going to be bleak.

Dunno about rice growing in the SW, but they do grow it in Sacramento supposedly, and I have not seen it in my travel. But veggies are grown in Yuma in the winter, and that area supplies 90% of winter veggie for the US. The water there comes from the Colorado river.

I got rid of my lawn long ago. However, my pool and veggie garden consume some water, and I do not know how much that is compared to a lawn. So, I am guilty there too.

Desalination takes a lot of electricity, I read. With solar power, perhaps it is more economical as it is one way to use up all that power during the day and it does not have to be stored. It may still be too expensive for agriculture though.

 

[Chuckanut]

Hang on. A double barreled storm will hit California next week.

 

[harley]

I tend to agree with the thought that CA (in particular) doesn't have a water supply problem, it has a water pricing problem. Water in California: Too Scarce, or Just Underpriced? - Hit & Run : Reason.com. Even worse is the fact that a lot of towns will fine you for not having a lawn, or for using your yard as a vegetable garden or something else instead. Definitely working at cross purposes.

 

[robnplunder]

Dunno about rice growing in the SW, but they do grow it in Sacramento supposedly, and I have not seen it in my travel.

Yup, they grow rice in Sacramento.

There's a good chance of rain in Bay Area, CA on Sunday and next Tuesday. Apparently, my rain dance worked.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

There is data to indicate that CA is just reverting to the norm. Seems we populated that area during one of the wettest centuries. The region cannot sustain the water usage even if that precipitation level continued and with the reduction its just coming to a head even faster!

National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com

 

[M Paquette]

I'm not entirely sure I want two rainy days that make up for the snowpack being at 5% of normal (April 1 measurement datum)

 

[NW-Bound]

Not if you have a reserved ticket to board this ark.

 

[robnplunder]

I'm not entirely sure I want two rainy days that make up for the snowpack being at 5% of normal (April 1 measurement datum)

I will dance some more.

 

[NW-Bound]

Yup, they grow rice in Sacramento...

Years ago, 2 or 3 decades actually, in a trip to the area, I drove along some levees looking for a place to get some crawdads, as I had read that they were available from San Joaquin River Delta area. I did not stumble across any, and went back to SF empty handed.

There is data to indicate that CA is just reverting to the norm. Seems we populated that area during one of the wettest centuries. The region cannot sustain the water usage even if that precipitation level continued and with the reduction its just coming to a head even faster!

National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com

Aye, aye, aye... We are encountering the "new normal", or rather back to the "old normal" as this article describes. Our goose has been cooked!

With calamities like this, who needs ReWahoo's asteroid?

 

[meierlde]

I just noticed that on my last water bill, 50% of the bill was for water and the rest is for "Service." What service? No detail of the "service" was provided.

My water bill calls it a water base facility charge, i.e. it is the cost to have the meter connected to the system and water available. Since I live alone and refuse to outside water, it is 86% of the bill. If you look on your electric bill there will be some similar charge perhaps called a customer charge, to essentially pay for reading the meter and sending the bill.

 

[Lsbcal]

...

I got rid of my lawn long ago. However, my pool and veggie garden consume some water, and I do not know how much that is compared to a lawn. So, I am guilty there too.
...

Apparently if the pool is covered then you are generally not using too much. Here is the chart from the link in my last post:

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I just noticed that on my last water bill, 50% of the bill was for water and the rest is for "Service." What service? No detail of the "service" was provided.

.

Our last 3-4 water bills have run right at $90/month. It's $12.00 or less for water, $43-45 for sewer, and the rest is system charges.

We seem to be doing very well on conserving water, at least.Even with a pool!

 

[ArkTinkerer]

Interesting. I have a silly question: as a retail simpleton/customer, what can I do to hedge these problems? I keep a 55 gal drum of water in the basement for emergencies, but obviously that does not go far. We are planning to get rid of the lawn in the front yard over the next few years and then shut off the sprinklers there. Anything else I can do?

My mother use to live in a house with a basement cistern. The roof runoff was filtered and run into the basement which was in effect a giant holding tank for water. I've never seen such a setup in person but have read they were used in the west in places people didn't have wells.

 

[meierlde]

My mother use to live in a house with a basement cistern. The roof runoff was filtered and run into the basement which was in effect a giant holding tank for water. I've never seen such a setup in person but have read they were used in the west in places people didn't have wells.

Except for the basement part my Grandparents house on a farm built in 1910 had a cistern that the roof drained into. (there were diverters on the downspouts). This was near the Ohio River in Indiana. The house was built before electricity was available. During dry summers in later years they would buy water from a nearby city to fill the cistern. So I suspect if you looked at older homes particularly in the country you wound find such setups. (The well water was bad since the place was not to far above coal seams.

 

[Clone]

Oh well, nature has a way of putting an end to the most egregiously stupid human tricks.

Ha

Mother nature always bats last. We have plenty of time to let the politicians and 'concerned groups' chew on this for awhile!

 

[harley]

My mother use to live in a house with a basement cistern. The roof runoff was filtered and run into the basement which was in effect a giant holding tank for water. I've never seen such a setup in person but have read they were used in the west in places people didn't have wells.

Again, sadly, in most places that are drought susceptible it's become against the law to divert water into storage devices, whether cisterns or drain barrels. I've never been sure why, since the water will get used for irrigation or whatever and will eventually make it back into the cycle. And if you have a veggie garden or whatever you're going to water it anyway. Why it would make more sense to use tap water for that than diverted rainwater I can't say.

 

[REWahoo]

Again, sadly, in most places that are drought susceptible it's become against the law to divert water into storage devices, whether cisterns or drain barrels.

Wow, that's a surprise. Rainwater harvesting for domestic use is supported and encouraged by the state here. State agencies publish a number of papers and manuals on rainwater collection and there are many businesses selling and installing systems for the non-DIY types. A couple of examples:

In-Home Use | Rainwater Harvesting
Harvesting, Storing, and Treating Rainwater for Domestic Indoor Use: TCEQ
Tank Town - Rainwater Collection Since 1994!

One of my neighbors has a 20,000 gallon system that provides all of their water in an average or better rainfall year. In 2011 and 2012 he had to supplement with a garden hose from his next-door-neighbor's well...

 

[harley]

Wow, that's a surprise. Rainwater harvesting for domestic use is supported and encouraged by the state here. State agencies publish a number of papers and manuals on rainwater collection and there are many businesses selling and installing systems for the non-DIY types.

Well, after I posted that I decided to google around a bit. It looks like I was wrong, at least on a state level. Colorado appears to be the only state where it's against the law at the state level. I know personally that MD has restrictions at local levels, and have read quite a bit about similar laws in CA. TX is definitely on the collect it bandwagon, as are some others. Here's the most informative webpage I found regarding it, if anybody is interested. Rainwater harvesting regulations state by state | Rain water harvesting and slow sand water filters

 

[REWahoo]

Interesting website harley. Thanks for posting it.

 

[ls99]

Jerry Brown issued new edict on long showers. Keep it short or you will be fined.

Next he will look in the toilet bowl. If its yellow let it mellow, when its brown flush it down.


"
Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) said Californians will face heavy fines for taking long showers.
Brown said, “This executive order is done under emergency power. It has the force of law. Very unusual. It’s requiring action and changes in behavior from the Oregon border all the way to the Mexican border. It affects lawns. It affects people’s — how long they stay in the shower. How businesses use water.”"
Gov Jerry Brown: Californians to Be Heavily Fined for Long Showers - Breitbart

 

[M Paquette]

Jerry Brown issued new edict on long showers. Keep it short or you will be fined.
...
Gov Jerry Brown: Californians to Be Heavily Fined for Long Showers - Breitbart

Welcome to the Internet. Please note that the California governor did NOT issue a new edict on long showers. He DID issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency, Executive Order B-29-15.

http://gov.ca.gov/docs/4.1.15_Executive_Order.pdf

It's not nearly as fun or exciting to be outraged about as the BreitBart Report, though.

It's an emergency order under Sections 8567 and 8571 of the California Government Code to bypass the normal (very slow) procedures of various state agencies and telling them to Get On With It in implementing the cutbacks ordered last year.

The governor has previously directed the State Water Resources Control Board to implement mandatory water reductions in cities and towns across California to reduce water usage by 25 percent compared to calendar year 2013.

 

[M Paquette]

I'm not entirely sure I want two rainy days that make up for the snowpack being at 5% of normal (April 1 measurement datum)

Well, we had our first day of rain. Sunny and 59 degrees here. The deluge brought 0.002 inches of rain.

Can anyone recommend a good place to learn sandworm riding?

 

[EastWest Gal]

That would have to be the planet Arrakis.


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